Have you ever tried to think of reasons why there is a water crisis? Why we ended up in such a difficult waterless situation? Some are quick to point fingers at local government, some might have another point of view. Let’s imagine random people in a bar asking each other the question: “Why is there a water crisis?”
It might just sound as follows:
Why is there a water crisis?
Because it rained too little
Why did it rain too little?
Because of an unusual weather pattern
Why is there an unusual weather pattern?
Because of too much Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere
Why is there too much Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere?
Because human actions emit too much Carbon Dioxide
Why do humans emit too much?
Because we think we can and most of us don’t care
Why don’t we care?
…. (I leave that to your imagination)
Or perhaps like this:
Why is there a water crisis?
Because we use too much water
Why do we use too much?
Because we are not set up to be efficient using less water whilst achieving the same result
Why are we not efficient?
Because we did not think it was necessary
Why did we not think it was necessary?
Because we did not know
Why did we not know?
Because we don’t care
Why don’t we care?
…(that, too, I leave to your imagination)
The conversation could also go like that:
Why is there a water crisis?
It’s a crisis because we cannot use water from our immediate watershed area any longer
Why can we not use water from our immediate watershed?
Because it is polluted beyond human use
Why is it polluted beyond human use?
Because we discharge sewerage, chemicals and waste into Cape Town’s rivers
Why do we discharge chemicals and sewerage into our rivers?
Because it is managed poorly
Why is it not managed?
Because most of us don’t care
Why don’t we care?
Because we don’t know any better…
So what is the real crisis here?
Humans wasting natural and vital resources out of carelessness? Is there perhaps little efficiency, little conservation and little protection of our most precious natural resources, be that clean air or clean water? Are we all responsible as an individual or as a corporate citizen? Have we all played a part toward this crisis?
Let’s make it right again and start caring…. Caring means we know, we manage, we understand. Visit Terra Firma Academy’s short courses teaching you how to manage our natural resources responsibly and sustainably into the future.
Do care!
